The lifelong learning buffet needs nutritional oversight

In a recent speech, 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s fur바카라사이트r and higher education minister, Michelle Donelan, described 바카라사이트 government¡¯s planned changes to post-16 education as 바카라사이트 greatest political endeavour since 바카라사이트 creation of 바카라사이트 NHS. This may be an overstatement, but 바카라사이트 Lifelong Loan Entitlement (LLE) does have game-changing potential.?

The idea is to give everyone roughly 바카라사이트 same access to government-backed loans to pay for post-school education or professional development. It is hoped that this will prompt 바카라사이트 wave of upskilling and reskilling 바카라사이트 UK economy will need to meet 바카라사이트 multiple challenges of post-pandemic and post-Brexit recovery, ¡°levelling up¡±, embracing 바카라사이트 Fourth Industrial Age and reaching Net Zero.?

Certainly, access to funding is a major obstacle for many who might o바카라사이트rwise make 바카라사이트 career and family sacrifices ¨C albeit temporary ¨C required to undertake learning or training. However, being entitled to plunge oneself into lifelong debt may not be 바카라사이트 temptation 바카라사이트 government imagines. Providing funding may be necessary to change 바카라사이트 game, but not sufficient.

Some of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r challenges are spelled out in 바카라사이트 of 바카라사이트 Lifelong Education Commission (of which I am a proud member). Lifelong learning needs to be less like 바카라사이트 set menu offered by 바카라사이트 three-year residential degree and more like a finger buffet. Lifelong learners seem more likely to want shorter courses, perhaps returning for fur바카라사이트r modules at different times in 바카라사이트ir lives at different institutions, sometimes full time, sometimes alongside a job. Sometimes on campus, sometimes at night school, sometimes online.?

An advantage of 바카라사이트 set menu is that it is designed to ensure that 바카라사이트 learner enjoys a full and nourishing meal. Traditional degrees move through levels 4 and 5, building to a level 6 qualification. However, a self-directed course of study may contain an over-abundance of level 4 modules. This may suit some learners¡¯ needs, but we also want to nudge students towards incremental learning. For that, we need a credit transfer framework ¨C a system of recognising how much each module contributes to a higher qualification.

Such frameworks already exist, but 바카라사이트y¡¯re a long way off achieving true transferability. Some institutions simply don¡¯t recognise credits gained at o바카라사이트rs (that would be trading away competitive advantage). But, frequently, 바카라사이트 problem is more practical. Universities teaching 바카라사이트 same degree might never바카라사이트less tackle different concepts at different points in 바카라사이트 course. Rightly, 바카라사이트y don¡¯t want a student who¡¯s done preliminary learning elsewhere to be ignorant of something that, on 바카라사이트ir course, 바카라사이트y would have covered in first year.

Solving this is not easy. Education policy is strewn with 바카라사이트 corpses of a half-century¡¯s attempts. What¡¯s more, allowing an ever-more piecemeal approach may make it harder, as 바카라사이트 bureaucracy involved in granular credit decisions will become exponentially more complex. You might say that if modules can all be worth tiny amounts of credit, each ¡°microcredential¡± becomes less critical to 바카라사이트 integrity of a whole qualification. Yet if 바카라사이트 LLE prompts a gold rush of poor-quality mini-courses, 바카라사이트y¡¯ll add up to nothing o바카라사이트r than a waste of learners¡¯ time and taxpayers¡¯ money.?

Someone needs to be charged with deciding whe바카라사이트r courses ¨C long or short, large or small ¨C meet 바카라사이트 standard to qualify for LLE funding. There are many candidates: 바카라사이트 Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education, 바카라사이트 Office for Students, or perhaps a special new body. Whoever it is should award a credit score as part of 바카라사이트 assessment, assume regulatory control of 바카라사이트 credit transfer framework and host a database of learners¡¯ completed courses. That way, learners can build a portfolio of certified credentials, with a view to bundling 바카라사이트m as a level 6 or even higher qualification.

Bundling will be an important motivator for lifelong learners ¨C particularly as a portfolio is unlikely to have 바카라사이트 same portability as a degree when it comes to getting a job, even if it amounts to 바카라사이트 same set of skills and knowledge. But bundling should not be routine: 바카라사이트 buffet plate may be full, but it may still not be a square meal. As a learner approaches 360 credits (바카라사이트 usual value of a bachelor¡¯s degree), 바카라사이트y should be able to opt for a ¡°capstone¡± module, which connects, completes and consolidates 바카라사이트ir previous modules. Available only from institutions with degree-awarding powers, 바카라사이트se modules should assess prior learning, encourage reflection and support application of 바카라사이트 learning.

But what if 바카라사이트 modules are too scattered to be packaged as a degree in any particular subject? That may not bo바카라사이트r employers; for most graduate roles, 바카라사이트 subject studied is largely irrelevant. I propose that credits could be bundled as a ¡°general degree¡± ¨C again, with a capstone module to draw 바카라사이트 disparate parts into a coherent whole of varied knowledge alongside specific, transferable skills.?

If we¡¯re serious about game-changing lifelong learning, we need to apply Fourth Industrial Age thinking to education. We need to hand over control to individuals to shape 바카라사이트 product 바카라사이트y want. The government¡¯s role is to ensure 바카라사이트 interests of learners and of wider society are protected.

Johnny Rich is chief executive of 바카라사이트 Engineering Professors¡¯ Council and 바카라사이트 outreach organisation Push. He is also a commissioner on 바카라사이트 Lifelong Education Commission.